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April 2014 - Just the Facts

Summary

Total cases receiving Public Assistance in Illinois rose by 17,560 (19,365 persons) in April 2014. Family Health Plan cases were primarily responsible for the increase. Aided cases numbered 1,683,429 (2,996,979 persons), down 2.5 percent from year-earlier totals.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

Benefits

Total TANF Benefits: A 200 case (418 person) decrease left a total 49,158 families (129,357 persons) receiving TANF benefits in April. The caseload was 1.2 percent lower than the April 2013 total.

"0" Grant Cases: There were 4,890 "0" grant cases (13,726 persons) included this month, up 147 cases and 507 persons from March 2014.

Two-Parent Cases: Two-parent cases rose by 32 to a 1,675 total in April 2014. The number of persons increased by 129 to 7,149.

TANF Program Detail

Applications: The number of TANF applications received in April rose by 86 to a total of 12,330. Both new applications and re-applications increased. Receipts included: 10,839 applications for the Basic sector and 1,491 applications for the two-parent sector. There were 10,474 applications pending for the combined program this month, a decrease of 73 from March levels.

Approvals: There were 2,591 assistance approvals this month, including 1,828 new grants (up 146 from March 2014) and 763 reinstatements (up 80). A reinstatement is defined as approval of any case that was active within the previous 24 months.

Reasons for Case Openings

There were 2,294 April 2014 TANF openings for which reasons were available, up 131 from the March level. This total includes 2,156 cases from the Basic sector and 138 cases from the two-parent sector. Reasons for opening cases included the following:

REASONS FOR CASE OPENINGS

% OF TOTAL CASE OPENINGS

Reinstatement after remedying Previous non-cooperation

2.4

Living below agency standards

79.6

Loss of employment

0.6

Loss of other benefits

5.1

Parent leaving home

0.0

Increased medical needs

5.8

Loss of unemployment benefits

0.0

All other reasons

6.5

Reasons for Case Closings

Reasons were available for 2,680 April 2014 TANF case closings - up by 5 cases from March. This total includes 2,549 cases from the Basic sector and 131 cases from the two-parent sector. Reasons for closing cases included the following:

REASONS FOR CASE CLOSINGS

% OF TOTAL CASE CLOSINGS

Earned Income

27.9

Other Financial

4.3

Non-compliance*

37.8

Non-financial

30.0

*54 cases canceled in March 2014 for non-compliance related reasons were reinstated by April 2014

after complying. These cases had no break in assistance.

Assistance to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD)

The total number of April 2014 AABD cases was down 881 or 3.1 percent from the number of cases a year earlier. The decrease was largely attributable to Disability Assistance, where the number of cases fell 643 or 2.8 percent from April 2013 levels.

One-Person AABD Cases: One-person cases receiving grants through AABD fell by 20 in April to a total of 27,263. This total includes 4,909 persons who qualified for Old Age Assistance; 103 persons who qualified for Blind Assistance; and 22,251 persons who qualified for Disability Assistance.

"0" Grant Status: The number of persons in "0" grant status fell by 47 to 1,595.

State Supplemental Payments: The number of individuals receiving State Supplemental Payments dropped by 27 to 25,668.

Medical Assistance - No Grant

Family Health Plan clients were largely responsible for a monthly increase of 26,622 cases receiving Medical Assistance in April 2014. Persons increased by 30,639. This resulted in a program total of 1,328,586 cases (2,485,884 persons).

MANG: MANG recipients represent 79 percent of total cases and 83 percent of total persons. MANG cases increased 3.2 percent from their April 2013 levels, when they represented 75 percent of all cases.

Family Health Plans: Families increased by 26,901 to 810,415 in April 2014.

AABD Clients: AABD clients who were categorically qualified for Medical Only dropped by 156 to 476,151 one-person cases. This total includes 149,494 cases for which Qualified Medical Beneficiary (QMB) payments were made, and 38,031 beneficiaries of Specified Low Income Beneficiary (SLIB) payments for Medicare coverage. AABD Group Care clients totaled 63,259.

Foster Care: Foster Care Assistance aided 42,020 children during this time period.

P3 Cases: Cash Assistance for Chicago PE cases was also eliminated July 1, 2011. These are disabled one-person cases with SSI applications or appeals pending. A total of 9 P3 cases were aided in April.

Applications - All Programs

In April 2014, application receipts for all programs excluding SNAP increased by 8,977 to a total of 179,266. This count includes: 166,234 applications for Medical Assistance, 12,330 for TANF, and 702 for AABD grants. SNAP applications received through Intake and Income Maintenance decreased by 9,849 to 140,355.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

SNAP Assistance was given to 1,015,826 Illinois households (2,006,258 persons) in April 2014. This is a decrease of 0.1 percent (714 households) from April 2013 levels.

Of this total, 737,413 households (1,651,792 persons) also received cash or medical benefits through other public assistance programs. This is an increase of 12.5 percent (81,831 households) from April 2013 levels.

A total of 278,413 households (354,466 persons) received Non-Assistance SNAP in April 2014. This is a 22.9 percent (82,545 household) decrease from April 2013 levels.

All Kids (KidCare)

All Kids, which began in January 1998, extends Medical coverage by expanding income eligibility standards (based upon the Federal Poverty Level) for pregnant women, infants born to Medical-eligible pregnant women, and certain other children under the age of 19.

Between January 5, 1998 and April 1, 2014 a total of 77,387 TANF-Medical Only persons were enrolled in All Kids Phase I due to this expansion of eligibility. Included in this total are 4,455 in the Moms and Babies program and 72,932 in the Assist program.

Cases ineligible for Medicaid due to excess income may be eligible for All Kids Phase II. October 1998 was the first month of enrollment. Phase II also requires co-pays and sometimes premiums. All Kids Share and All Kids Premium provide essentially the same benefits as Medical Assistance. A total of 31,730 Share and 33,815 Premium persons had enrolled by April 1. All Kids Rebate, which reimbursed a portion of health insurance premiums paid for eligible children, was eliminated as of December 31, 2013.

FISCAL YEAR 2014 SUMMARY OF CASES AND PERSONS AS OF APRIL 2014

Program

Cases

Persons

TANF (PAYMENT CASES)

44,268

115,631

AABD CASH (ST SUPP PAYMENTS)

25,668

25,668

P3

9

9

ZERO GRANTS TANF

4,890

13,726

ZERO GRANTS AABD

1,595

1,595

FAMILY HEALTH PLANS

810,415

1,967,713

AABD MANG

476,151

476,151

NON-ASSISTANCE SNAP

278,413

354,466

FOSTER CARE

42,020

42,020

REFUGEES CASH & MEDICAL

620

623

REFUGEES MEDICAL ONLY

157

161

TOTAL

1,684,206

2,997,763

Child Care

Child Care Services are available to families with income below 50 percent of the state median. Families must be working or enrolled in approved education or training activities. Families cost-share with co-payments based on income, family size and number of children in care. Services are delivered through a certificate program and a site-administered contract system.

The Certificate Program eligibility is determined by resource and referral agencies. Parents choose subsidized full or part-time care from any legal care provider that meets their needs. Providers include child-care centers, family homes, group child-care home and in-home and relative care. In April 2014, an estimated 184,505 children were served by certificate.

The Site-Administered Contract Program serves families through a statewide network of contracted licensed centers and family homes. Families apply for care directly with the contracted providers and eligibility is determined on-site by the provider. In April 2014 an estimated 6,146 children were served by contract.

The Migrant Head Start Program provides child care and health and social services for preschool children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. Services are provided by local community based agencies. The program is federally funded and serves approximately 450 children during the harvest season.

Emergency Food, Shelter and Support

Homeless families and individuals receive food, shelter and support services through local not-for-profit organizations. A "continuum of care" includes emergency and transitional housing and assistance in gaining self-sufficiency and permanent housing.

The Emergency and Transitional Housing Program served 6,078 households in shelters during October-December 2013. Of those 1,015 were households with children.

The Emergency Food Program served 1,147,468 households from October-December 2013.

The Homeless Prevention Program helps families in existing homes and helps others secure affordable housing. During October-December 2013, 1,298 households were served. Of those, 822 were families (Households with children under age 18).

The Supportive Housing Program funds governments and agencies which serve families and transitional facility residents. In October-December 2013, 574,490 nights of Supportive Housing were provided.

The Refugee and Immigrant Citizenship Initiative funds the provision of English language, civics and U.S. history instruction as well as application services. During October-December 2013, 1,833 clients had received instruction and 1,219 were assisted with their citizenship applications.

Of the refugees served, 290 entered employment, and 295 retained jobs 90 days. The average wage earned was $8.97 an hour. 222 refugees received health benefits terminated in the October-December 2014 period.

The Outreach and Interpretation project assures access to IDHS benefits. In the October-December 2013 quarter, 18,164 clients received case management, 3,036 received interpreter service, and 5,037 received translation service.

Social Service Block Grants

Service funding is provided through the Federal Title XX Social Services Block Grant to manage and monitor contracts which help customers achieve economic self-support and prevent or remedy abuse and neglect.

Crisis Nurseries served an estimated 547 customers during the October-December 2013 quarter.

Early Intervention (EI)

The Illinois Early Intervention (EI) program serves infants and toddlers birth to 3 years old with developmental delays or disabilities and their family in or more of the following areas of development: adaptive; cognitive, communication/speech, physical and social emotional. EI is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities. Annually, the EI program serves approximately 20,000 children throughout the state and maintains 25 regional intake entities called Child and Family Connections (CFC) offices. CFCs handle referrals, intake and service coordination for infants and toddlers with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs).

Early Intervention services include, but are not limited to: developmental evaluations and assessments, communication/speech therapy, developmental therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, service coordination, psychological and assistive technology. Evaluations, assessments, service plan development and service coordination are provided to families as no cost. Ongoing EI services are paid for by public insurance (Medicaid/All Kids), a family's private health insurance, when appropriate, state general revenue and other program funds. Families are assessed a family participation fee based on a sliding scale which considers their ability to pay.

Program Statistics

Indicator

April 2014

SFY 2013 Average

SFY 2012 Average

SFY 2011 Average

Referrals

3,230

2,612

2,592

2,763

Active IFSP's

20,705

19,999

19,662

18,723

0-3 Participation Rate

4.06%

3.71%

3.96%

3.42%

Under 1 Participation Rate

1.29%

1.19%

1.07%

1.10%

% With Medicaid

60.50%

63.70%

48.90%

49.60%

% With Insurance

35.30%

34.40%

36.70%

36.90%

% With Fees

28.20%

27.70%

27.40%

27.70%

What's New in EI

Currently, the EI program is updating, reviewing and implementing new federal regulations that were released in September 2011. All final required revisions will be in place by July 1, 2014.

Women Infants and Children (WIC)

The purpose of WIC is to provide nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, nutritious food and referrals to services for eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children to age five. The program has been housed under the Department of Human Services for the last 16 years. In order to be eligible, participants must be at 185% of the federal poverty level; be a resident of the State of Illinois; and have a nutrition risk.

Program Statistics

Eligibility Category

Clients in April 2014

Pregnant Women

29,672

Breastfeeding Women

16,773

Postpartum Women

16,705

Infants

70,924

Children

132,169

What's New in WIC

Participant Centered Services (PCS) are being cultivated throughout the Illinois WIC Program. PCS is a comprehensive, outcome-based model developed by Altarum Institute to promote the adoption of positive nutrition- and health-related behaviors by Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families. PCS is a comprehensive systems change model for participant interaction that touches upon all aspects of WIC functions and service delivery. PCS puts the participant at the core of WIC service delivery and targets the most important determinants of behavior change: self-efficacy, skill building, and readiness to change. PCS focuses on a person's capacities, strengths and developmental needs, rather than solely on problems, risks or negative behaviors.

Within the PCS framework, the participant and the WIC staff form a partnership to engage in interactive discussions based on the particular needs and circumstances of the participant. This approach contrasts with the traditional, didactic WIC assessment and education model, which places the nutrition educator in an authoritative position, providing information and direction to the participant. Although the didactic approach is somewhat successful in delivering information and increasing nutrition knowledge, it is less effective at promoting real behavior change.

Family Case Management

The program target population is low income families (below 200% of the federal poverty level) with a pregnant woman, an infant or a child with a high-risk condition. The goals of the program are to help women have healthy babies and to reduce the rates of infant mortality and very low birth weight. To achieve these goals the program conducts outreach activities to inform expectant women and new mothers of available services and then assists them with obtaining prenatal and well-child care. The program works with community agencies to address barriers to accessing medical services, such as child care, transportation, housing, food, mental health needs and substance abuse services. Services are provided statewide through local health departments, federally qualified health centers and community-based organizations. Home visits by a public health nurse are provided to the families of infants with medical problems.

Program Statistics

Category

Medicaid

Non-Medicaid

Cook County

Children

7,340

1,230

Infants

22,850

2,662

Pregnant

11,376

1,815

Downstate

Children

9,683

938

Infants

35,162

3,560

Pregnant

17,197

2,353

Statewide

Children

17,023

2,168

Infants

58,032

6,222

Pregnant

28,573

4,168

Program Accomplishments

Family Case Management has contributed to the overall reduction in the state's infant mortality and has reduced expenditures for medical assistance during the first year of life. Program outcomes are more effective in the integrated system of Family Case Management and WIC. Recent statistics show:

The infant mortality rate is 50 to 70% lower

The rate of premature birth is 60 to 70% lower

Medicaid expenditures for health care in the first year of life are up to 50% lower

Participation in WIC and FCM saves Illinois an average of $200 million each year in Medicaid expenses